Even many German sport sedans have become distracted — along with their pilots — by a technological arms race. But the Subaru WRX reminds us of what one special soldier can do if he is unencumbered by digital oversight and focused on the mission.

If the mission is to deliver unmitigated driving pleasure at a relatively affordable price, the 2015 WRX deserves a medal.

High-speed reconnaissance has been the WRX’s stock in trade since its 2002 debut — its United States debut, that is. The WRX had been honing its legend in Japan and elsewhere since 1992, driven by winners of multiple world rally championships.

The 2015 version takes a significant leap forward, even if the gains have little to do with brute strength. Instead, Subaru focused on the WRX’s more pressing deficiencies. The interior, which used to scream “econobox,” now announces itself with just a whisper. And though the WRX is still wild, its woolier elements have been tamed, including excess body roll, a raucous cabin and middling steering.

The WRX’s fan base must deal with some regrets. There’s no longer a hatchback, only a sedan. And while there is still a higher-priced track-ready STI version, it stands pat on power with a carried-over engine. The STI’s familiar 2.5-liter 4-cylinder boxer makes 305 horses, just 37 more than the base model.

Yet Subaru conservatively cites the STI’s 0-to-60 time at 5.2 seconds. Anyone who thinks a car that quick is underpowered is welcome to tinker with it himself — and indeed, many Subaru owners are active in the tuner hobby.

The bigger disappointment is the bait-and-switch of the WRX concept car that Subaru unveiled at the New York auto show last year. After teasing the public with perhaps the most physically attractive Subaru in history, the company put little of that muscular design into production.

Though the WRX has dropped the Impreza name, the physical connection to that frumpy budget sedan remains clear. But the Impreza’s gym-rat cousin flexes some muscle: There are slanted LED headlamps and a gaping hood scoop that sends fresh air to the turbo’s intercooler.

Looks aside, this WRX is much more than an Impreza with a big motor, a firmer suspension and all-wheel drive. Subaru says the chassis is 40 percent more rigid than before, a fine starting point for precise handling and body control.

The new WRX also benefits from a fresher cabin design. Rear legroom grows by nearly two inches, and trunk space is up as well. The seats are more stylish and better bolstered, with leather-and-Alcantara trim in the STI that I tested. A flat-bottom three-point steering wheel looks and feels good, and there are strips of faux carbon-fiber trim across the dash and center console.

Buyers are welcome to skip the WRX’s available navigation and infotainment system, a maddening hodgepodge of Atari-level displays and tiny, hard-to-operate touch-screen buttons.

All models get a new 4.3-inch LCD display screen and backup camera. But a real-time fuel-economy gauge serves up nonstop distraction in direct view of the driver.

The standard WRX gets the all-new engine that fans of its acclaimed BRZ sports car have been dreaming of: a turbocharged version of the BRZ’s 2-liter boxer 4, with 268 horses and 258 pound-feet of torque. Its pistons are laid horizontally in opposition — hence the boxer name — in a balanced, distinctive-sounding layout that only Subaru and Porsche continue to use in cars. The regular WRX scoots from 0 to 60 m.p.h. in about 5.4 seconds.

The brakes are larger and stronger, though the pedal still feels squishy when the brakes first bite. A 6-speed manual transmission replaces a 5-speed. New electric-assisted steering ranks among the best of such systems: Subaru credits its natural, lively feel to lessons learned from the system in the BRZ.

It’s all hard to beat at a starting price of $27,090, or $29,290 for the Premium version I tested. And that, to me, feels like the sweet spot in price. The WRX now performs so well there is less reason — except for track drivers, or those who live to challenge Mitsubishi Evolutions — to spend thousands extra on the STI.

Leadfoots may not care, but the standard model’s 2-liter engine also saves an estimated $650 a year on fuel, with a federal rating of 21 miles per gallon in town and 28 on the highway with the manual gearbox, versus 17/23 m.p.g. for the thirsty STI. (The WRX automatic splits the difference at 19/25 m.p.g.)

I didn’t drive a car with Subaru’s new continuously variable automatic transmission, a type of gearbox usually associated more with saving fuel than posting lap times. But the Subaru C.V.T. does feature modes that let drivers mimic the operation of a conventional paddle-shifted automatic.

Making no concessions to those wedded to automatics, the STI comes with a 6-speed manual, take it or leave it. With a rear wing so tall it reminds you of St. Louis’s Gateway Arch, the STI is the kind of car that the police assume is carrying Vin Diesel and a trunkful of illicit cash. And like a rangy hound, this version lives for regular exercise, whether on a track or through the orange cones of an autocross course.

The STI’s base price has been held to $35,290, the same as the departing version. I drove a $38,190 STI Launch Edition, limited to 1,000 units. It comes in one signature color, a screaming metallic blue with gold-painted 18-inch BBS alloy wheels. The STI Limited tops the charts at $39,290, with features like an eight-way power driver’s seat and a premium audio system.

For the STI, Subaru further bolstered the chassis and suspension and added Brembo brakes. One caution: Both WRX models ride more stiffly than ever.

The STI’s sturdier, largely handbuilt manual gearbox rows smoothly through the six forward speeds. A special short-throw shifter, standard on the Launch Edition and optional otherwise, is simply the best yet on a WRX.

A new torque-vectoring system blips individual front brakes to help the car rotate through turns. Drivers can toggle the all-wheel-drive system to vary power between front and rear wheels, and can lock the center differential for a full-time 50-50 split.

In the interest of fingertip sensation, the STI keeps a traditional hydraulic steering unit, but one with a brilliantly quick 13.0:1 ratio, versus 14.5:1 for the standard WRX. A rotary console knob adjusts throttle mapping through three modes, including a maximum setting called Sport Sharp.

In competitive terms, the WRX and the Mitsubishi Evolution represent the Japanese version of the long-running war between the Camaro and Mustang. Over two weeks with the WRX and STI, not one person inquired about the styling or asked about new features. But close to a dozen people demanded to know: Is it better than the Evo?

For some time, the Evo has held the performance edge. But the pendulum has swung back to Subaru even as Mitsubishi struggles to stay afloat in America. The WRX’s newfound tautness and agility makes the cars’ performance a virtual tossup. And compared with the Mitsubishi’s dated, plasticky interior, the new cabin is a nicer place to be.

Even on dry pavement with Dunlop winter tires — not an ideal combination — the Subarus’ uncanny grip and control make them fierce competitors to BMW M cars or Mercedes AMGs at twice the price. The Subarus feel stirring and vital, high-feedback analog cars in a world of ghostly digital appliances.

Like vintage musical instruments, the WRX and STI have an honest, old-fashioned quality that’s become increasingly rare. And the analogy fits, because these Subarus were born to rock.

A version of this article appears in print on , on Page AU1 of the New York edition with the headline: Still a Wild Child After Reform School. Order Reprints | Today’s Paper | Subscribe